Electrical cord plug retainer



p 1963 R. F. DE LASHMUTT 3,102,922

ELECTRICAL CORD PLUG RETAINER Filed April 6, 1960 Tia-i "ml. WII

Fig? 1. Fig? 2 Roberl' F'.DeLa shmuH' IN V EN TOR.

(QM-6162a ggerd" United States Patent 3,102,922 ELECTRICAL CORD PLUGRETAINER Robert F. De Lashmutt, 12019 SE. Woodward Place,

Portland, Greg. Filed Apr. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 20,490 1 Claim. (Cl.174-135) This invention pertains to cord plug retainers, and relatesparticularly to an attachment for an electrical socket outlet by whichto retain an electrical cord plug against inadvertent release from thesocket by pulling upon the cord. 4

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide anelectrical cord plug retainer which is capable of mounting upon aconventional electrical socket outlet by means of the attachment for theoutlet cover plate.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of anelectrical cord plug retainer which is capable of use with various typesof plugs and various sizes of cords.

':A further important object of the present invention is to provide anelectrical cor-d plug retainer which is of extremely simplifiedconstruction foreconomical manufacture.

'The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention willappear from the following detailed description, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing, in which: I

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of an electrical cord plug retainerembodying the features of the present invention, the same being shown inassociation with a conventional electrical socket outlet; v

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the assembly shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an end view as viewed from the top in FIG. 1.

The retainer of the presentinvention is utilized with a conventionalelectrical socket outlet which, as illustrated in the drawing, includesa pair of spaced outlet sockets 10 and 12. A cover plate 14 is providedfor concealing the socket housing and the electrical connections to thesockets, and is provided with spaced openings 16 for exposing thesockets. A central opening 18 in the cover plate between the socketopenings 16 registers with a tapped opening in the outlet housing (notshown) for receiving the securing screw 20.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the retainer ofthe present invention is formed as a single piece, preferably ofsynthetic thermosensitive resin material of the the'rmosettinglorthermoplastic types, by conventional molding techniques. The retainerincludes a central base portion 22 provided with an opening therethroughfor receiving the attaching screw 20. Projecting laterally from oppositesides of the base portion are the resilient arms 24. The inner surfaceof each arm, i.e. the surface facing the cover plate 14 of the outlet,is spaced outwardly with respect to the plane of the inner surface ofthe base portion 22 and is contoured to form, in combination with theadjacent surface of the cover plate, one'or more pockets which functionto receive and retain an electric cord which extends through it. In theembodiment ilustrated, two such pockets are provided on each arm, theinner pocket 26 being smaller than the outer pocket 28. Thus, the innerpocket is proportioned to receive a cord of correspondingly smallercrosssection than the outer pocket.

\The contour of the inner surface of each arm preferably is such as toprovide an inward projection 30, 32 at the outer end of each pocket 26,'28 respectively, to constrict the entrance to each pocket. Theresilience of the arm, together with the degree of compresibility of theelectric cord, enables the cord to pass through the "ice constrictedopening and thus be retained securely in the pocket.

It will be understood that the oppositely directed arms are provided forthe dual lscoket assembly illustrated, one

arm being associated with each socket.

In mounting the retainer on the socket outlet, the retaining screw 20for the cover plate is removed, the retainer is positioned centrallybetween the spaced sockets 10, 12 with the central opening registeringwith the openings in the cover plate and socket housing. Assuming thescrew to be of sufficient length, it is then inserted through thealigned openings and secured in place. Ordinarily, the spaced socketsproject outwardly a slight distance from the surface of the cover plate14, and thus they serve to anchor the retainer therebetween, preventingrotational displacement of the retainer.

With the retainer installed as described hereinbefore, an electricalcord plug 34 then may be installed in one of the sockets. The cord 36leading outwardly from the plug is bent toward the retainer and thenceinwardly toward the cover plate, where it is pushed laterally inwardthrough the restricted opening of the appropriate pocket for retentiontherein. Thus, an outward pull on the length of cord projectingoutwardly beyond the pocket tends to force the plug more securely intothe socket.

It Will be apparent to those skilled in the arts that various changesmay be made in the structural details described hereinbefore. Forexample, the number of pockets provided in. an arm may be varied fromone to any number desired. Additionally, the retainer may be integratedwith a cover plate to form a single piece unit.

These and other modifications may be made without departing from thespirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which it may beused, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

For use with an electric outlet having a pair of spaced plug. socketsand screw retaining means located between said sockets for securing acover plate to the outlet, an electric cord plug retainer formed as -anintegral unit of molded synthetic thermosensitive material andcomprising a body member having an inner cover plate abutting surfaceand an opening for receiving a cover plate secur-' ing screwtherethrough, and an arm extending laterally' from each of the lateralsides of the body member, the inner surface of each arm being spacedoutwardly from the cover plate abutting surface of the body andcontoured to define between said inner surface and a cover plate aplurality of laterally spaced cord receiving pockets which are open attheir. laterally outward ends, each pocket being progressively large-rtoward the outer end of v the arm for receiving electric cords ofdifferent diameters,

and an inwardly directed projection on each arm at the outer end of eachpocket for constricting the open end of each pocket to a size slightlysmaller than the inner dimension thereof for receiving a cordresistively through said, constriction for retention in the pocket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS304,349 Munroe Sept. 2, 1884 2,084,953 Gibson June 22, 1937 2,176,405Lombard Oct. 17, 1939 2,289,187 Gardner July 7, 1942 2,559,151 GetzoffJuly 3, 1951 2,733,492 Copell Feb. 7, 1956 v FOREIGN PATENTS 104,554Switzerland L. May 1, 1924

